


Nora's Children - A Redwall Fanfiction

by SlagarCruel1



Category: Redwall Series - Brian Jacques
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-09-22
Updated: 2019-09-22
Packaged: 2020-10-26 02:15:34
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,378
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20734577
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/SlagarCruel1/pseuds/SlagarCruel1
Summary: Abandoned as an infant outside of the gates of Redwall Abbey, Skyeyes is raised by the inhabitants as they try to teach her the ways of woodlanders. But now grown up, she can't shake the feeling like there was something missing in her life, as if someone she loved was out there beyond the sandstone walls of the abbey. Now with her friends, she sets out into Mossflower woods to find the ones who left her in the abbey's care, unaware that danger rises up from the shadows once again. Only the hearts of true soul and pure love can bring together the peace that the world needs.





	Nora's Children - A Redwall Fanfiction

**Author's Note:**

> This was a story originally written by an author whose name has escaped me at this point because it was removed from Fanfiction long ago. I have searched for it for almost three and a half years with no luck. So I will write it myself all over again. Some names have been changed a little bit because I am planning on using parts of this for a future comic series... and when it occurs then, it'll take place at some point after the events of Mattimeo but before the Pearls of Lutra. For this story, I recommend playing Song On Fire, If Everyone Cared, and Lullaby by Nickelback.

The inhabitants of a large sandstone abbey, known as Redwall, were preparing for their mid-autumn feast. Torrents of rain poured from the skies, drenching everything in their wake. The planet’s single pale moon glowed brightly, just barely managing to break through the thick black clouds. The full moon hung high over Mossflower woods. Old Trebuck, the gatekeeper and retired warrior of Redwall Abbey had just finished his midnight snack and was settling back down to go to sleep again when a knock came at the Abbey gates.  
He threw off his covers, grumbling softly to himself as he shrugged on his dressing gown and grabbed the lantern hanging outside the door of his hut and went to the gates. He opened it and peered out into the dark, seeing no beast standing there.  
He was about to close the gate when he heard a soft snuffling sound. He looked down to see a badger babe, looking to only be a few seasons old, wrapped up snug in a blanket and sleeping peacefully. A little piece of wood was tucked into the blanket with the babe and he picked it out, squinting at the writing gouged into the wood.  
Skyeyes take care of her  
Trebuck sighed and lifted the badger babe, groaning at the weight. Even baby badgers were heavy after all. He squinted into the darkness one more time, but didn't see who had left the babe there. He thought whoever had done it must have been pretty desperate to leave a babe that was obviously loved to strange beasts.

Cincha Churchmouse was a practical little mouse, who ran the abbey infirmary with a firm but loving hand. The dibbuns (a word the people of the abbey used to describe young children) loved coming to her, because if they were good and patient, she would give them a little sweet when they were done. She did not allow them to fake being sick or injured just to get a treat though, that would earn them a whack on their tail and a scolding.  
She was not pleased when Trebuck roused her in the middle of the night, but she softened when she saw the bundle that he was holding. "And you said she was just left outside?" She asked as she inspected the babe.  
"Yes marm. No one blooming out there, not that I could see, wot." Trebuck replied. "Of course these old eyes aren't what they bally well used to be."  
Cincha hummed in agreement, finishing her inspection of the tyke. "Well, she's healthy as can be, well fed, bathed and uninjured. Not sure why some beast would just leave her then." She said, shaking her head.  
"Mayhap they couldn't take care of her anymore." Trebuck suggested. "And knew jolly old Redwall Abbey wouldn't turn away a helpless babe."  
"Perhaps." Cincha agreed. "Skyeyes, what a pretty name."  
The babe then chose to wake up, yawning widely and opening startling blue eyes. She gave a gruff squeak of alarm at the sight of them and backed up until her back hit the wall. She growled at Sister Cincha when she came near.  
"It's alright, you're safe." Cincha soothed. The babe didn't seem to understand what she was saying, which was odd, because she was old enough to be a dibbun. Skyeyes started making little motions with her paws which confused the mouse even more.  
"I say, I think she's trying to speak to us with paw signs!" Trebuck declared. "The Long Patrol uses paw signs when they need to be absolutely silent, wot!"  
"Does that mean she can't speak?" Cincha asked.  
"Or whoever bally well raised her couldn't." Trebuck replied. "Sadly I don't know enough about paw signs to try and speak to her."  
"Here, let's try something a little simpler." Cincha said. She tapped her chest with a paw. "Cincha." She said. "Cincha."  
The babe cocked her head at her and then tapped her own chest. Then she pointed to the sky and then put her paws over her eyes. "Skyeyes. She's telling you her name as she knows it." Trebuck said.  
"Skyeyes", Cincha said, pointing at Skyeyes.  
"Sk-Sky… eyes." The babe said, making the young mouse sigh in relief.  
"So you can talk, just never had anyone talking around you." She said gently. "We're not going to hurt you." She found one of the sweets that she kept in her apron and set it on the bed. Skyeyes looked at it warily, so took another sweet from the pocket and ate it in front of her. "Mmm." She said. "It's good."  
Skyeyes, watching her closely, snatched up the candy and ate it. "Mmm." She said, imitating Cincha. The mouse decided to take a chance and sat down on the bed. Skyeyes pressed herself against the wall again, but didn't growl at her like before. Cincha didn't fancy getting bitten by a frightened baby badger, so she was going to have to be careful.  
"No one is going to hurt you here, you are with friends." knew Skyeyes didn't understand what she was saying, but she was hoping her tone would get across to the child. Skyeyes began to lean towards her as she spoke, her bright blue eyes showing interest.  
Suddenly her little paws moved again in a flurry of signing, her expression sliding towards panic. "I'm sorry, I don't understand." said. "I don't understand."  
The panic in the child's blue eyes turned to distress and despair and after a moment the child gave a little wail and curled up into a ball, crying loudly. Cincha immediately scooped the cub up, not even considering that Skyeyes might fight being held by someone she didn't know. She had a distressed baby to look after, no time to be cautious now.  
Skyeyes tensed for a moment and then latched onto Cincha's apron with her paws, sobbing shaking her little body. The sister mouse began to hum a soft lullaby and rocked the little badger, something she had done many times for many little ones. Slowly Skyeyes' tears dried up and she was asleep in her arms.  
Cincha tucked the little creature into bed and turned to, who hadn't moved an inch since the babe had started crying. "She loved someone very much and they left her here." said, near tears herself. "Why would they do that?"  
"Like I said earlier my gel, mayhap they couldn't take care of her", Trebuck said gently. "In which case, someone loved her very much."  
"What do you mean?" Cincha asked.  
"Think about it, my dear," The old hare replied. "How would you feel if you had to give up one of your little Dibbuns to someone who you'd never met before?"  
"I don't know if I could", Cincha replied. She loved the Dibbuns very much, for all the mischief they got into.  
"What if you knew it was safer with someone else?", Trebuck prompted. "What if there was a chance they would get hurt if they stayed with you."  
"Then I would give them up", Cincha said, sniffing. "I would rather have them be with someone else and safe, rather than with me and hurt."  
"There, there now my gel, don't cry", Trebuck said, handing her a handkerchief. "See, sometimes we do things that hurt for the ones we love, wot. Doesn't mean we love them any less. Mayhap the beast that left little Skyeyes will come back someday, when they feel safe enough to."  
"Anything is possible, isn't it?", Cincha said, drying her eyes with the handkerchief. "Until then we'll take care of her, just like every other Dibbun."  
"That's my gel!”, Trebuck said, smiling approvingly. He put the little piece of wood with Skyeyes' name on it beside the cub in her bed. "We'll make sure she grows up knowing someone loved her very much, enough to leave her with some beast who could take care of her."

Far away in the darkness of Mossflower woods, a pair of hooded figures stopped and turned back to where they could still see the stones of Redwall. The one of them reached a hand up to wipe at their face and they allowed themselves a soft sniff of regret. Then, silently, they turned away and disappeared into the darkness of the woods.


End file.
